pineapple progression pictures and playground stuff

I really hope you can see these pictures. Last month, look what I discovered!

Let me start from the beginning. After we first moved here, we visited the Dole Pineapple Plantation (a must see) and I learned how to cut up a pineapple and how to plant a pineapple. I think I have an old post on how to buy a pineapple that I learned too. Well, I planted two pineapples. Because they say it takes 1 1/2 years to produce. Those two were duds. I killed them, probably with neglect. But then, I saw that my next door neighbor had some really cool looking plants. They were pineapple plants - in planters! I didn't think about planting some just for decorative purposes. So I tried again - never thinking anything much of it. As you can see, that green topper can grow into some huge pokey leaves. Kinda cool.

I've had this plant for about a year or so - I can't remember. It got half blown out of the pot with the big wind storm in January. So I was very surprised when I saw this:
What?? Is that what I think it is? A baby pineapple? I don't know if you can read the date, but it says 1/19/09.

You can see it's progressing. This date reads 2/3/09

I took this picture today 2/9. Really starting to take shape. I can see the green topper and there are little purple flowers around the base.

If you don't know how a pineapple grows - I won't tell you. I'll let the pictures surprise you. I think I'll have to get my boys to name it. I hope, hope, hope that we can eat it before we move - but I'm not sure how long they take to mature. I bet it's a long time. Does that sound horrible that I want to name it AND eat it?

We eat fresh pineapple every week. You can't get these tastey beauties on the mainland. I'm going to miss it.

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Playground news. The big build is this weekend! Our school held a rummage sale Saturday and raised $2700! I donated some Rescue Heroes and books and bought a few books and a game. I like to think my $3 helped. LOL!

Gary has to go in to work off and on this weekend - even though it's a 4 day break. So I'm not sure how he's going to work in a day of labor. I will be helping out as much as I can while I try to keep my two 9 year olds out of trouble and busy. I heard that they got 300 Marines to volunteer each day of the build. They are so awesome! The school is right outside the back gate of the Kaneohe Bay base - MCBH (Marine Corps Base Hawaii) and they support us in many ways.

This is the link to our playground website http://www.aikahitroop228.org/playgrd/playground.html

It's gonna be awesome - a volcano with a lava slide, outrigger canoe, slidey things, jumpy things, swingy ring things. And green - made out of some recycled materials, and will have some handicap friendly areas. I'll take pictures of course.